Course Catalog / BMU 102 / Syllabus
BMU 102 Hard Conversations at Home: Course Syllabus
Welcome. You are an adult with a full life, and this course is built for that. This page shows what you will learn, why it matters, what you will do, and how to succeed. Come back to it any time you wonder what is next.
This page helps you
- Explain what success looks like in this course
- Find your next step and set your own target dates
- Find help when you get stuck
Why this course matters
Some things never get said at home. Many of us grew up in families where hard topics were avoided, joked off, or blew up. This course walks you through one real conversation, step by step. You name the issue, calm your body, set a goal, open without blame, listen under pressure, and follow up.
This course is for you if:
- You carry something unspoken with a partner, parent, child, or sibling
- You tried a hard talk before and it went badly
- You want a calmer, clearer way to bring it up
What success looks like
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Name one unspoken issue in plain words without blame
- Use two grounding tools and a break plan before and during a tough talk
- Choose one realistic goal for the conversation and define a good enough outcome
- Write a four part opener without blame or absolutes
- Use reflective listening and respond to defensiveness without escalating
- Plan follow up, repair, and support after the talk
You will know you got there in two ways. First, you pass the post-test with 80% or higher. Second, your capstone rubric shows Ready to use on each row.
Your next step
Start with the pre-test. It takes about 10 minutes and is not graded. Then open Lesson 1: Name What Was Never Said.
Here is the full path through the course:
- Pre-test: 12 questions, plus 3 quick confidence questions. Not graded. You take it once.
- The lessons, in order: 6 lessons, from Lesson 1: Name What Was Never Said to Lesson 6: After the Talk.
- Course wrap up: check your capstone with the rubric.
- Post-test: 12 questions. Pass with 80%. Retake as often as you need.
- Course survey: about 2 minutes, optional and anonymous.
- Your certificate: type your name and print it.
- A 30 day check in, if you opt in.
Your dates. BMU sets no deadlines. You choose them. Pick a start date and a target finish date now, and put both on your calendar. Each lesson's action step also says when to do it, such as tomorrow or this week.
Course schedule
Every lesson has the same parts, so you always know what is coming: a short read, a Try it action step you do in real life, and, in most lessons, a quick check. Times come from each lesson page.
| Lesson | Read | Action step | What you do (Try it) | Builds outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-test | 10 min | None | See where you start | All |
| Lesson 1: Name What Was Never Said | 8 min | 15 min | The unsaid list | O1 |
| Lesson 2: Get Grounded First | 7 min | 15 min | Practice and prepare | O2 |
| Lesson 3: Choose Your Goal | 7 min | 15 min | Set your goal | O3 |
| Lesson 4: Words That Open Doors | 8 min | 20 min | Draft your opener | O4 |
| Lesson 5: Listening When It Is Hard | 8 min | 15 min | Practice reflecting | O5 |
| Lesson 6: After the Talk | 8 min | 15 min | Your follow up plan | O6 |
| Course wrap up | 5 min | 15 min | Finish and score your capstone | All |
| Post-test | 10 min | None | Show what you can do (80% to pass) | All |
| Survey (optional) | 2 min | None | Tell us what to improve | None |
Suggested pace
Two lessons a week. That is about three weeks, plus time to finish your plan. Go faster or slower if your life calls for it.
| When | What to do | About how long |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Pre-test, Lesson 1, Lesson 2 | 55 min |
| Week 2 | Lesson 3, Lesson 4 | 50 min |
| Week 3 | Lesson 5, Lesson 6 | 46 min |
| Week 4 | Course wrap up, Post-test, Survey (optional), Certificate | 32 min |
How much time it takes
- Each lesson: 7 to 8 minutes to read, in one sitting.
- Each action step: 15 to 20 minutes, done in your real life within the window the lesson gives.
- At the suggested pace: up to about 55 minutes a week.
- The whole course: about 3 hours and 3 minutes, including the tests, the wrap up, and the survey.
What you will do and why
Each task below practices or checks one of the outcomes above. Nothing here is busywork.
| Task | What you do | Counts toward the certificate? |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-test | Answer 12 questions and 3 confidence questions before Lesson 1. It shows where you start, so you can see your growth later. | No. Not graded. |
| Check your understanding | Answer 4 short questions at the end of a lesson. Every answer tells you why it is right or wrong. | No. Try as many times as you like. |
| Try it action steps | Do one real task after each lesson. Each one builds a piece of your capstone. | No, but they are where the change happens. |
| Capstone | Your one page talk plan for one real conversation: the issue in plain words, your grounding tool and break words, one goal, your four part opener, a calm phrase for pushback, and a follow up and repair plan. You score it yourself with the rubric in the course wrap up. You decide whether and when to have the talk. | You score it yourself with the rubric. It is not checked by BMU. |
| Post-test | Answer 12 questions and the same 3 confidence questions. Each retake mixes the order and swaps in some new questions. | Yes. Pass with 80% or higher. |
| Self-assessment | Rate yourself on each outcome and pick one to review. | No. It is for you. |
| Survey and 30 day check in | Tell us what helped and what to fix. Opt in to a check in at 30 days. | No. Both are optional. |
Your capstone rubric checks these parts:
- Issue (Lesson 1)
- Grounding and break (Lesson 2)
- Goal (Lesson 3)
- Opener (Lesson 4)
- Listening and follow up (Lessons 5 and 6)
Grading and your certificate
- Pre-test: not graded. You take it once. It is fine to miss questions. They show where to start.
- Post-test: you need 80% or higher. You can retake it as many times as you need. Your first try is the one BMU uses to see how much the course helped, so there is no need to rush it.
- Capstone: self-scored with the rubric. A row that says Not yet just shows you where to look next.
- Certificate: it unlocks when you pass the post-test. The survey is optional and never blocks it. Type your name on the certificate page and print it.
What you need
- Cost: free. There is nothing to buy.
- Device: a phone, tablet, or computer with internet and a current version of Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox.
- Skills: you can open links, type in a box, and scroll. Printing is optional. You can also save pages as a PDF.
- Privacy to write about a real relationship. You never have to share what you write.
- Job aids and tools: Hard Conversation Planner; Conversation Starter Builder; Printable one page talk plan in the wrap up.
How this course works
This course is self-paced and online. There are no live classes, no group posts, and no one checks when you log in. Taking part means three things:
- Read each lesson in order, in one sitting if you can.
- Do the Try it step in your real life. That is where the learning happens.
- Be honest with yourself on the checks, the rubric, and the self-assessment. Your reflections are private, and you never have to share them.
Policies and flexibility
- Pace: go at your own speed. There are no late penalties. If you miss a week, pick up where you left off.
- Retakes: lesson checks and the post-test have no limit on tries.
- Your progress: lessons, notes, and test scores are saved in this browser on this device. They are not tied to your name. If you clear your browser data, use private browsing, or switch devices, your progress will not follow you.
- Honest work: take the pre-test and post-test on your own, without notes, other people, or AI. Please do not share test answers. Your certificate says you passed, so let the score show what you can do.
- Using AI: You may use AI to brainstorm, explain an idea in simpler words, or practice. If AI helps you draft your capstone, check every fact and make it sound like you. Never paste passwords, account numbers, or medical details into an AI tool.
- Changes: if BMU changes this course, the date at the top of this page will change, and we will say what changed here.
Getting help
This course was created by MM3, U.S. Navy veteran and educator. Because the course is self-paced, there is no live instructor. You are not on your own, though. Here is where to go:
- Quick answers: the BMU Help Center covers progress, certificates, billing, and technical problems.
- Ask a person: use the Contact BMU support form and pick a topic. We read every message and reply as soon as we can. Please do not send card numbers or passwords.
- Something not working: refresh the page and try a current browser. If it still fails, contact support, choose Technical problem, and tell us the page, your device, and your browser.
Accessibility
We want every page to work with a keyboard, a screen reader, and zoom. Tables scroll on small screens, and answers open with a tap. If anything gets in your way, or you need a lesson in another format, tell us on the contact form. Choose Technical problem, say it is an accessibility issue, and describe the page. We will work to fix it or get you the content another way.
Check your understanding of this syllabus
Can you answer these three questions? If so, you are ready to start.
1. What does success look like in this course?
You can do the 6 things listed under What success looks like. You pass the post-test with 80% or higher, and your capstone rubric shows Ready to use.
2. What is your next step?
Take the pre-test, then start Lesson 1: Name What Was Never Said. Put your own start and finish dates on your calendar.
3. Where do you get help?
Try the Help Center first. Then use the contact form. We read every message and reply as soon as we can.
Recap
- Start with the pre-test. It is not graded.
- Do one lesson at a time, and do each Try it step in real life.
- Pass the post-test with 80% to earn your certificate. Retakes are unlimited.
- Need help? Use the Help Center or the contact form.
Sources
This syllabus is built from the course design record. The research behind each lesson is listed at the end of that lesson.